Football Cardinals Coach Arrested

A Cardinals assistant coach was arrested Thursday night after police said he solicited an undercover police officer posing as a prostitute.

Phoenix police officers took Richie Anderson, 35, into custody about 9:30 p.m. during a "customer apprehension program" at Pointe South Mountain Resort.

Anderson, the Cardinals' wide receiver coach, was booked into 4th Avenue Jail and released after posting bond just before 2 a.m. Friday, according to Lt. Paul Chagolla, a Maricopa County Sheriff's spokesman. advertisement

Anderson was hired in January to be part of new coach Ken Whisenhunt's staff.

Cardinals spokesman Mark Dalton said Friday that the team was aware of the situation.

"We are in the process of gathering additional information and will comment further when we have done that," Dalton said.

Solicitation of prostitution is a class 1 misdemeanor and is punishable by up to six months in prison and a $2500 fine.

Anderson played 13 seasons in the NFL as a fullback with the New York Jets, from 1993 to 2002, and with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2005.

Heentered the coaching profession after his playing career ended following the 2005 season. Anderson was the Jets assistant wide receivers and tight ends coach last season.

He is a native of Silver Spring, Md., and played at PennState.

Phoenix police Sgt. Andy Hill said the resort was only a tactical location for the program and that no complaints of prostitution originated from there.

John Carlyon, director of security for Pointe South Mountain Resort, said while Thursday's operation was conducted by the Phoenix Police Department, "we always support and cooperate with the police."

After he spends some time with the Maricopa County Sheriff's tent city, wearing PINK underwear and digging graves and working the fields, he may not want to try solicitation of prostitution again and after Bubba gets through with him he'll have a new sweetheart!!